The present invention relates generally to an improved fishing reel, and more particularly to a spincast fishing reel having an improved feathering assembly.
In fishing, it is desirable to be able to selectively control the discharge of line from the spool during a cast to permit accurate placement of the line or bait. Control over such line feed or discharge is typically effected by applying a drag or frictional force to the line as it uncoils from the reel line spool. The contact with the uncoiling line is termed "feathering" and such feathering permits the fisherman to control the horizontal extent of his cast.
In an open face spinning reel, feathering is conventionally achieved by contacting the fishing line with one or more fingers of his casting hand. The fisherman gradually brings his finger(s) toward the line spool so that the line rubs against the finger and spool to apply a selective drag force to the uncoiling line. Similarly, in a bait casting fishing reel, where the line runs perpendicular to the axis of the reel and is exposed to the fisherman, he can feather his cast by applying his thumb to the spool as the line unwinds from it. This direct contact with the line permits the fisherman to "feel" the amount of pressure he applies to the line for feathering to control the horizontal extent of his cast.
However, spincast fishing reels are fishing reels in which a fishing line spool is contained within a reel housing. These reels typically having a thumb, or pushbutton, mechanism by which the fisherman can cast line from the reel. Direct contact between the fisherman and the line is impractical in a spincast fishing reel, largely because the reel cover which encloses the line spool is remote from the fisherman's hand. Additionally, the reel construction does not allow a fisherman to directly contact the line with his fingers to feather the line in the manner permitted by the spinning and bait casting reels described above.
Feathering has been previously accomplished in spincast reels by forcing the fishing line into contact with an object located on the rotor as the line unwinds from the line spool. The simplest spincast feathering devices have included a circular rubber friction ring affixed to the front face of the reel rotor. This friction ring is displaced with the rotor forwardly toward the reel cover when the spincast reel pushbutton is depressed. As it is displaced, the friction ring nears the inner surface of the reel cover and the line is captured between the friction ring and the interior surface of the reel cover. Contact with either or both of these elements induces a drag on the line by frictional contact which slows down the line during casting. However, this structure can often result in a sudden interruption of the travel of the line off of the line spool which causes the bait or line to be "jerked" rearwardly in flight. Accurate control is not possible using the braking ring above.
There have been some attempts to produce a reel structure having a feathering device which gives a greater degree of control of feathering during casting. One such structure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,405, issued May 25, 1965, to R. D. Hull which utilizes a wire loop protruding forwardly from the rotor to provide a single contact surface which contacts the line as it unwinds spirally from the line spool. However, because only one contact surface or point is presented in such a construction, the friction applied is not continuous and thus the feathering effect obtained is, at best, an intermittent one.
Another known feathering device is one manufactured by the Brunswick Corporation on its "Positive Pick Up System" closed face spinning reel. The feathering device consists of a circular rubber ring having a thin rubber skirt extruding forwardly of the rotor. The rotor is brought toward the reel housing by actuating a lever and the thin skirt engages the unwinding line and applies friction to it. Although this type of feathering device is continuous, there is not much "give" in the skirt and thus jerking of the line or bait still may occur.
The present invention is directed to providing a line feathering assembly for a spincast fishing reel having an improved feathering capability and which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art feathering devices detailed above. The present invention utilizes a base member with a plurality of elongated, discrete, line engaging members axially affixed to the front surface of a rotor and thereby moves in unison with the rotor, either backwardly or forwardly, when the reel pushbutton is depressed. The line engaging members may include a plurality of fibers, hairs or bristles embedded in the base member in a circular pattern and extending angularly out from the base member to provide a circular interference profile to the fishing line as it unwinds from the line spool. The line engaging members are selectively brought into contact with the uncoiling line when the reel pushbutton is pressed to advance the rotor toward the reel cover. Rather than a single interference surface being presented to the fishing line, the bristles provide a plurality of discrete interference surfaces which cooperate to provide a continuous frictional contact to the line each of which deflects under contact with the line.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved spincast fishing reel which includes a feathering device that selectively applies drag to the fishing line as it unwinds from the line spool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a spincast fishing reel with a feathering device attached to the rotor thereof wherein the feathering device includes a plurality of fibers or bristles extruding outwardly from the rotorhead and which provide a plurality of contact surfaces circumferentially disposed around the rotor which provide interruptions with the line as it exits from the reel housing.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a feathering assembly for a spincast fishing reel wherein the assembly includes a rotor having a plurality of elongated discrete line engaging members extending outwardly therefrom toward the reel housing whereby, when the reel pushbutton is depressed, the discrete line engaging members approach the reel housing inner surface and present a series of sequential interference surfaces which frictionally interfere with the line as it unwinds from the line spool and exits from the reel.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a feathering device for converting an existing spincast fishing reel without a feathering device into a spincast fishing reel having a means for feathering the line cast from it.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.